The old addage "you can't please everyone" holds true in this instance. Yet, What ClassicFlix has done is nothing short of a miracle, considering the ticking clock of the sorce materials and the scarity of said materials. The fact that this project even exsists is a testiment to Bob Furmanek and his team @ ClassicFlix!!Just let me start by saying, I do appreciate the option of captions and/or subtitles, and I do get that for a segment of the population, they are even essential.
The only problem is captions/subtitles take time and effort to get right, and they don't come without cost. For those who may not be aware, this release was a kick starter project designed to restore an old iconic series to the best possible visual and auditory quality. The latter is something I particularly appreciate, as my hearing hasn't exactly improved with age. Unlike previous DVD releases of THE ABBOTT AND COSTELLO SHOW, which had to rely on sourcing from old telecine transfers, for this ClassicFlix release, the Season 1 episodes were almost entirely sourced from the original camera negatives for both visual and audio.
In short, they look and sound fantastic, with crystal clear audio. No muffled sounding dialogue, which is a bane for anyone who suffers from any kind of hearing impairment. Yes, the prior 2010 THE ABBOTT AND COSTELLO SHOW COMPLETE SERIES DVD set does include subtitles, but with the unfortunate trade off of raggy looking video and far from crystal clear audio.
That said, to make this release happen obviously required keeping the restoration budget within reason. Hence, no subtitles or captioning. I for one, am really thankful Bob Furmanek and his team chose to focus on Video and Audio restoration, the evidence of which can be seen and heard. This series was in very dire need of both, and I'm greatly looking forward to the release of the second and final season of THE ABBOTT AND COSTELLO SHOW by ClassicFlix!
CHEERS!
